Introducing the folks at Short Branch Ranch

A new collection of Western-themed bar accessories from Craig Bergsgaard, renowned sculptor of the Old West

Life on a working ranch ain’t for “greenhorns”

Herding cattle, wrangling horses, chasing off poachers—life on the ranch makes for LONG days of work. Every man has to pull his own weight, and these fellows do (in one way or t’other).

Which one of these cattlemen is most like you?
• Asa, a no-nonsense man who makes money like Midas.
• Barzell, your basic “wallop-first-ask-questions-later” kind of fellow
• Noble, silent-but-strong—and always there when you need him
• El Ojo Uno, a good time charlie who is fond of the ladies and the poker table

Collect the entire set today.

All four decanters are cast in pewter and have a rubber stopper atop a handsome glass carafe. Price is $195 each (or $780 for the set) and the decanters will be available in time for your Christmas gift-giving.

If you are interested in adding the fellers from Short Branch Ranch to your bar collection, please contact Craig Bergsgaard.

Meet Asa, the boss of Short Branch Ranch

Some call him iron-handed, he would say “focused”

“I swear, if you can’t ride it or take it to bed, you don’t need it.” ~Asa

Owning a ranch leaves no room for tomfoolery. On Asa’s ranch, the day starts before the sun comes up and keeps on goin’ until the work is done (and not a second before).

He has no time to suffer deadbeats or troublemakers. Folks who cross him find themselves at the receiving end of a reminder of “who’s the boss ‘round here,” administered by Barzell, Asa’s right-hand man.

The way Asa sees it, his sternness is justified: Life is dog-eat-dog and without discipline he would never survive the revenuers, rustlers, and ruthless widows who vie for a piece of his ranching fortune.

A private man, Asa does not share his thoughts and feelings—unless those thoughts include “Get back to work!”

Of course, at the end of a hard day’s work, a man should get a chance to relax with his whisky.

The Asa decanter is pewter with a rubber stopper atop a handsome glass carafe. The price is $195 and will be ready to ship in time for holiday gift giving.

To add Asa (or the rest of the Short Branch Ranch gang) to your bar collection, please contact Craig Bergsgaard.

Click here to learn about the entire set: About Short Branch Ranch by Craig Bergsgaard.
You can follow Asa’s musings on our Short Branch Twitter account, hashtag Asa (#Asa)

Meet Barzell, the ranch enforcer that you’ll only cross once

“Thug” is such an unkind word.

“When I want your opinion, I’ll take this gag outta yer mouth.” ~Barzell

It’s true, Barzell has cracked more than a few heads (and occasionally ribs) in his day, but those fellers needed thumping.

Barzell puts a boot heel on the neck of layabouts at the Short Branch Ranch, but he usually only ever has to exact justice once to get his message across. (As he sees it, he’s a peacekeeper, really.)

What kind of background makes a man like Barzell? Most folks know not to ask.

Never fear, Barzell will keep your whiskey safe from poachers.

The Barzell decanter is pewter with a rubber stopper atop a handsome glass carafe. The price is $195 and can be delivered in time for Christmas gift giving.

To add Barzell (or the whole Short Branch Ranch collection) to your bar, please contact Craig Bergsgaard.

Click here to learn about the entire set: About Short Branch Ranch by Craig Bergsgaard.
You can catch Barzell’s grumbling on our Short Branch Twitter account, hashtag Barzell (#Barzell)

Meet Noble, ranch hand and ultimate example of the phrase “still waters run deep.”

Every ranch owner wants a man like Noble on his crew.

“You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive cattle.” ~Noble

A sun-weathered beanpole of a man, Noble works hard and will do whatever’s needed with nary a word of complaint. In fact, he rarely speaks any words at all: “yup” and “nope” are about as chatty as he gets.

True, Noble’s lack of small talk can make for a l-o-n-g day on the trail—but conversation is a small price to pay for a companion who takes heed of his surroundings and can be relied on during a fracas.

Would you like to have the strong-and-silent type in your bar collection?

Noble is made from pewter with a rubber stopper atop a handsome glass carafe. The price is $195 and can be delivered by Christmas.

To add Noble (or the whole Short Branch Ranch set) to your collection, please contact Craig Bergsgaard.

Click here to learn about the rest of the ranch fellers: About Short Branch Ranch by Craig Bergsgaard.
Noble is a man of few words, but we have got those few words for you on our Short Branch Twitter account, hashtag Noble (#Noble)

Meet El Ojo Uno, a smooth operator with an eye for the ladies…and a knack for losing at cards

When El Ojo Uno makes his way into town, the merrymaking BEGINS.

“I thought I wanted a career, turns out I only wanted whiskey money.” ~El Ojo Uno

Truth be told, after all these years of ranching, El Ojo Uno is a bit rough around the edges—but that doesn’t tarnish any of his charm.

Quick to laugh and to pinch a shapely behind, ol’ one eye is always the life of the party.

If you want to hear about the calamity that cost El Ojo Uno his right eye, he’ll willingly recount the tale—though the saga differs every time he tells it. As he sees it, there is no reason to let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Would you like El Ojo Uno to liven up your at-home watering hole?

Our whisky decanter is pewter with a rubber stopper atop a handsome glass carafe. El Ojo Uno is priced at $195 and is available in time for Christmas gift-giving.

To add El Ojo Uno (or the whole set) to your collection, please contact Craig Bergsgaard directly.

Click here to learn about the rest of the ranch characters: About Short Branch Ranch by Craig Bergsgaard.
Speaking of good story, El Ojo Uno tells a few on our Short Branch Twitter account, hashtag ElOjoUno (#ElOjoUno)

Sand Creek Massacre panel discussion at Denver Public Library now available on YouTube

Five videos feature entire content of the two-hour educational event

On April 17, 2011, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to spearhead an event that will forever change my understanding of American history: The Denver Public Library and I partnered together to bring the Colorado community Lessons Learned at Bloody Sand Creek: A panel discussion on the events at Sand Creek in 1864 and the impact on Colorado & the West today .

The community outpouring for the discussion went beyond any of our expectations. Hundreds of students, historians, Denver residents, and members of the Native American community came out to hear our panel’s discussion and perspective of the Sand Creek tragedy.

Our multi-disciplinary panel represented a number of areas of expertise: art, law, history, and theology. In addition to the surprise of having a diverse, standing-room-only crowd, we were also humbled by an impromptu poetry reading by Antoinette Red Woman, a direct descendant of Cheyenne Chief White Antelope, who was killed during the massacre.

I invite you to watch these videos and to learn more about a crucial chapter in American history and how its ramifications still impact the West today

You may watch the embedded videos below or visit my YouTube channel: Craig Bergsgaard on YouTube.

A sincere thank you to everyone who made this educational event a reality:

• Jim Kroll, Manager Western History and Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library
• J. Wendel Cox, Phd, Senior Special Collection Librarian in the Western History and Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library
• George E. “Tink” Tinker, PhD, Clifford Baldridge Professor of American Indian Cultures and Religious Traditions, Iliff School of Theology
• Rose Fredrick, APAA, Curator and Art Consultant
• Tom Noel, PhD, Professor of History and Director of Public History, Preservation & Colorado Studies at University of Colorado Denver
• Col Ronald G. Machoian, PhD, Director of International Programs and Assistant Professor of Military & Strategic Studies, US Air Force Academy
• Glenn T. Morris, JD, Director, Fourth World Center for the Study of Indigenous Law and Politics at CU-Denver
• And last, but not least, my wonderful wife, JoAnn. I couldn’t do any of this without you.

If you would like more information on the tragedy at Sand Creek, please read this brief history of the Sand Creek Massacre.

Burial stone project opens new doors and working relationships

Bronze eagle feathers for gravesite of Oglala Sioux Good Will Ambassador, Paha Ska

One of the best compliments you can receive as an artist is that, after an extensive and complicated search, your talent is exactly what they were looking for.

I experienced that sense of pride and accomplishment tenfold recently when I began working with Barbara Salway-Jensen on a custom piece that held a special place in her heart.

When Barb approached me at a show in Scottsdale, Arizona, the story she had to tell me was remarkable.

Barb asked me if I would help her by sculpting a set of bronze eagle feathers for her Native American father’s burial stone, and I couldn’t help but say yes.

The journey she went through to arrive at my work and the sheer magnitude of importance of this piece made me feel truly honored to be a part of this project.

Paha Ska’s influence and artwork were widely acknowledged and appreciated

“He was not a famous person, but he will be part of the history of our state forever.”~ Barb Salway, daughter of Paha Ska

Barb’s father was a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe in South Dakota who went by the name of Paha Ska. He was a well-known painter who also spent much of his time greeting tourists in the city of Keystone while wearing his native regalia.

For more than 50 years, Paha Ska was a symbol of Keystone for tourists heading up to see Mt. Rushmore. He would greet them and embrace the opportunity to share and sell his artwork with a new audience.

As Barb said, “He was not a famous person, but he will be a part of the history of our state forever.”

In recognition of his contributions to the state and the tourism industry, the South Dakota governor declared Paha Ska Day on May 24, 1997 and named him a Good Will Ambassador to Keystone.

In 2007, he was also inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame for his talents as an artist and his contributions to the state.

Paha Ska also received honors from his native tribe as well. He received a ceremonial staff, which made him known as an elder in the Oglala Sioux tribe.

Facing up to immense pressure and responsibility

When Barb received her father’s ashes several years after he died, she was not aware that she would be responsible for designing a burial stone for him. She felt an immense sense of pressure and responsibility to make sure that this stone would represent her father and his life, while respecting the Native American heritage he held so dear.

She kept the ashes in her Arizona home for a while to spend time with his spirit in hopes that she would be inspired to find the best option for his burial stone.

Period of research and reflection leads to a concept

Barb spent “countless hours” at art shows and galleries to see different artists’ styles, hoping to find one that would mesh well with her vision. She searched bookstores and even spent time in graveyards to get a feel for some other burial stones.

“I came to realize a burial stone reflects the final words to the world about who we are, what we did and how we lived,” she said.

Through this period of reflection, she determined that her father’s burial stone should represent his life and his artwork with respect.

She wanted to acknowledge something the native people of South Dakota would be comfortable with and that would show his love of painting, his Native American culture and horses.

Using a sacred symbol from Paha Ska’s headdress

Paha Ska was known for wearing an elaborate headdress while he greeted visitors and sold his artwork in Keystone. It was not held in the same regard as a traditional headdress that might symbolize leadership within the tribe, but it was still a symbol that Paha Ska took great pride in.

Barb remembered that each spring, he would take care in the process of its renewal, hand-stitching eagle feathers, beadwork, animal pelts and plumes onto it.

This process and the end result allowed him to recall the culture of his past and signify his personal successes.

Eagle feathers are precisely the sacred symbol Barb was looking for to include in her father’s burial stone.

These feathers would withstand the test of time, so that years from now, people who visit his burial stone will immediately understand the meaning and significance of this great piece and important man.

Collaboration led to a great final piece

When I met Barb at the Arizona Fine Art Expo in Scottsdale, I could see how important this project was to her and I was incredibly honored to be asked to work with her on such a significant piece of familial and Native American history.

Barb said her first impression of my work was that it was incredibly detailed and rustically beautiful. She could see and understand the depth in each of my pieces and appreciated that each piece told its own story of the past. She thought these were characteristics her father would have appreciated as an artist.

After Barb explained to me a vague idea of what she would want, I began brainstorming with her how we could go about this project.

Together, we came up with the idea to add the medicine wheel and the colors of the four directions, which personalized the piece to my father even more.

The working relationship with Barb on this project was one of the most fulfilling of my career. I was touched by the history of Paha Ska, by Barb’s devotion to preserving the spirit of her father, and by her honesty and dedication in a search to find what she thought would be the perfect artist.

A transforming experience for both of us

Barb has expressed to me her sincere gratitude for my involvement in this piece, and I am thrilled that she is so pleased with how it turned out.

“The detail in the beadwork of the medicine wheel gives the feathers even more meaning and has such powerful significance to our culture,” Barb said. “Whenever I show it, silence fills the room because its beauty and meaning cannot be put into words.”

That Barb saw the potential for what she calls “artistic empathy” and greater meaning in my work, and felt her father would approve of my involvement in this project is the ultimate compliment.

I thank Barb for asking me to help her with Paha Ska’s burial stone. It was truly one of the most fulfilling projects I have worked on, and I value the opportunity to have worked with her.

Collector Alert! There’s only two weeks left in my museum show and sale, Honoring the Weavers with Canvas and Bronze

If you want to see these artworks around the landscapes and people that inspired them, you need to act fast

About Honoring Weavers with Canvas and Bronze at theThe historic Toadlena Trading Post Museum

 

Presenting sculpture depicting the traditional Navajo weaving life

I’m pleased to present the museum collection. These works are available for sale now.

(A complete list of art featured in the show can be found on the Wopila available art page.)

The Chaperone

The Chaperone, features a Navajo woman tending to the young sheep of her flock.

The shepherdess is wearing the traditional blanket dress and bun hairstyle of 150 years ago.

The Chaperone
32″H x 14″W x 14″D
Bronze
$7,000

The Lesson

The Lesson depicts two Navajo women of yesteryear carding and spinning wool.

James Ayers and I learned about Navajo carding and spinning techniques during our 2010 research trip to the historic Toadlena Trading Post on the occasion of their annual carding and spinning day.

Under the patient tutelage of Master Weavers, James Ayers and I tried our hands at traditional Navajo carding and spinning (with mixed results).

Having had done all that hands-on research really allowed me bring these two characters to life

The Lesson by Craig Bergsgaard
Finished size with base will be 20″ t x 24″w x 16″ d
$6,000

Saving the Day

In Saving the Day, a Navajo man tenderly cares for a small lamb in his flock.

Saving the Day by Craig Bergsgaard
Approx. 30″ tall
Bronze
$6,000

Special bonus for purchaser of #1 of each edition

The #1 version of each of these pieces will have three special features that the other pieces in the edition will not have:

1. A miniature Navajo rug (approx 6″ x 18″) with the title of the piece handwoven into it
2. A special walnut “jewelry box” style base with a drawer that can house the tiny rug, the catalog, and photos of the piece with the weavers (and other show ephemera)
3. The title is laser cut into the jewelry box and highlighted with gold pigment

Interested in purchasing one of these works? Then you can help our mission to support Native American youth art education.

If you would like us to purchase one of these works, please contact my studio by email here: Craig Bergsgaard Studio or call me at 720-312-4498.

A special thank you to all who made this museum show great

I thank trading post proprietors Mark and Linda Winter for including the exhibit during their big, bi-annual community event (which was also their wedding day!).

I would also like to thank the masterful artisans of the Toadlena Trading Post. Their dedication and skill are truly inspiring.

And of course, I would like to thank the benefactors and lovers of fine art. It is only through your support that Wopila can continue to pursue its goal of funding Native American youth art education.

To learn more about Wopila Artist Guild and the Honoring the Weaver’s show, please see the article from Western Art Collector Magazine.

ALL NEW! Precast sculpture unveiled at this year’s Calgary Stampede art show

 

I have been hard at work in my studio completing this collection of precast sculpture for one of my biggest shows of the year. Order now while still in clay to receive a substantial savings.

Old friends and new innovations

One of my most popular series has been my Saloon Girls. The “girls” have been collected by men and women alike, usually by folks who like their sassy attitude. For Calgary this year, I present two new girls:

• Don’t mess with this chaise-reclined lady in Just Who Do You Think Is Runnin’ This Establishment? She will ensure that you know who is the boss.
  
• After a hard day on the trail, our Miss in Take a Bath, Cowboy urges you to clean up a bit.

In Good Day … For a Ride, our hapless cowpoke intends to get the upper hand with this bronc–he just hasn’t done so yet!

And last, but not least, is a new idea from my studio. In Cowpoke Card Holder, I’ve created functional art that is available in your choice of cast metals: bronze or pewter.

Contact me today to reserve your precast sculpture

You can reach me by phone or email:  Contact Craig Bergsgaard. I look forward to hearing from you … and seeing my Calgary friends at this year’s show.

 

Second Indian Wars sculpture, Give Me Eighty Men, accepted at Tucson Museum of Art

I am proud to announce that the second installment in my Indian Wars series, Give Me Eighty Men, has been added to the permanent collection at the Tucson Museum of Art.

Indian Wars series making a name in museums

After Memorare, Sand Creek 1864 was accepted into the permanent collection of the Booth Museum of Western Art in Georgia, I was eager to find a good home for my second Indian Wars piece as well.

I was delighted when the selection committee of the Tucson Museum of Art chose Give Me Eighty Men for the permanent collection of the museum’s western art holdings.

The piece “fits beautifully within the Tucson Museum of Art’s collection of Art of the American West,” according to the museum’s Executive Director, Robert Knight.

History of the Fetterman Fight of 1866

When U.S. Army Captain William Judd Fetterman claimed he only needed 80 men to take on the entire Sioux Nation, the odds were mounted against him.

When these 80 men took on 2,000 Native Americans, the battle was over within 20 minutes, with the Native Americans emerging victorious.

The U.S. loss to Native Americans in Fetterman’s Fight is second in magnitude only to the Battle of Little Bighorn.

“Give Me Eighty Men is at once arresting and emotional as a memorial to those fighting on both sides of the battle,” Knight says.

Give Me Eighty Men inspires reflection

Give Me Eighty Men showcases a Lakota warrior holding up an Army bugle in victory. But he also acknowledges that retaliation for the win on this battlefield could be horrendous.

“The sculpture invites viewers to consider the conflict between the U.S. Cavalry and our Native Peoples,” says Knight.

The sculpture reminds us of how easily we can become overconfident in our abilities, as the U.S. soldiers did. They overestimated their strength against a large alliance of Plains Indians, and in the end, it needlessly cost many young men their lives.

This particular Indian battle may be lesser know than the Battle of Little Bighorn, but it speaks volumes about the physical and emotional casualties of war.

“Mr. Bergsgaard not only calls into question many false assumptions of our country’s Indian wars, but he forces a reflexive moment of realization that the lessons learned back then could be equally applicable to today’s world conflicts,” Knight says.

Museum placement allows a more historical path for future pieces

I have been anticipating the opportunity to incorporate deeper meanings into my pieces, and the Indian Wars series is the perfect place to sculpt these battles from the Native American viewpoint.

All this land was theirs and their stories deserve to be told even today.

A special thank you

I would like to extend a special “thank you” to the collector who purchased Give Me Eighty Men and donated to the museum. I appreciate your generosity and willingness to help me share my interpretation of this chapter of American history with the public.

“Give Me 80 Men” is available for sale. If you would like to add this work to your collection, please contact me at: Craig Bergsgaard Studios.

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